After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

Rewind to a few days earlier, when Nagelsmann told Yan Yuan that he could start at Anfield, Yan Yuan immediately told his father, who was also his agent, the news.

"Feeding? Son?" Yan's father's slightly sleepy voice came from the other end of the phone, and in the background, Yan's mother could be heard busily working in the kitchen.

"Why are you calling so early? What happened?"

Yan Yuan took a deep breath. "Dad, our coach has decided to let me start in the next Champions League qualifier at Anfield."

There was a sudden two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a rustling sound, as if Yan's father had suddenly sat up in bed.

"What?! Starting lineup?! Champions League qualifier?!" Yan's father's voice rose eight octaves in an instant. "Wife! Come quick! Your son is starting against Liverpool!"

Yan Yuan heard the clatter of dishes on the other end of the phone, followed by his mother's hurried footsteps: "Really? Yan Yuan? Really?"

"It's true, the coach told me himself." Yan Yuan's lips unconsciously curled up; he could imagine his parents' expressions at that moment.

The father's eyes must have widened in disbelief, and the mother probably covered her mouth in excitement.

"Oh my God!" Yan's mother's voice trembled slightly, "My son is going to start at Anfield! That's the Champions League!"

In the background, I could hear Yan's father muttering, "I need to book the tickets right away... Is it too late to book them now...?"

"Dad, Mom, don't get too excited. It's just a qualifying match, it's nothing," Yan Yuan said casually.

Yan's father was not happy to hear this and immediately retorted.

"What do you mean 'just'! Do you know how many players never get to play in the Champions League in their entire careers? You're only 17!" He suddenly lowered his voice.

"Are you nervous to tell your dad the truth?"

He admitted softly, "A little, but mostly excited."

Yan's father's voice regained its vitality.

"That's right. Remember, just perform at the level you did in training. Your mom and I will definitely be there to cheer you on. I'll post it in our family group chat, and all our relatives and friends in China will be watching the live stream."

Mother Yan snatched the phone: "Son, don't put too much pressure on yourself, just play well. I'll bring you some food when you come; the Chinese food in Liverpool definitely won't be authentic..."

"Mom, we're going to a competition, not a vacation," Yan Yuan said with a smile. "The team even has a nutritionist to take care of us."

"Can a nutritionist understand your stomach better than your mother?" Mrs. Yan persisted. "It's settled then. I'll make more of your favorite shumai..."

"Okay, Mom."

……

Meanwhile, this Champions League qualifier has also caused quite a stir in the Chinese football community.

The reason is none other than Yan Yuan's appearance.

This 17-year-old Chinese-American boy has a truly unique background.

He is not of mixed race, but of pure Chinese descent. His father is a pure Chinese, and his mother is a third-generation Chinese from Britain.

Although he was born in Birmingham and holds an English passport, Yan Yuan looks exactly like a Chinese child, from his appearance to his surname.

In addition to his impressive performances in the first round of the German Cup and his Bundesliga debut, many football bloggers in China have begun to pay attention to him, and some have even dug up highlights of his matches during his time at Birmingham City's youth academy and Paris Saint-Germain's youth academy.

More importantly, the two teams facing off in this match are Hoffenheim and Liverpool.

How large is Liverpool's fan base in China?

To put it another way, even an ordinary person who doesn't usually watch football has at least heard of "Gerrard," "Salah," "Istanbul Miracle," or "You'll Never Walk Alone."

And what about Hoffenheim?

Before Yan Yuan joined the team, the number of fans in China who knew about this team could probably be counted on two hands.

But things are different now, because of Yan Yuan and Liverpool, the live broadcasts of this small Bundesliga team's matches have seen a surge in popularity.

At night, on the Douyin platform.

Inside the "Ground Football" livestream room, which is touted as "the best football program in the world," the host, Zhao Laosan, wearing black-rimmed glasses, is sitting in a gaming chair, talking eloquently to the camera.

Zhao Laosan is a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, and the wall behind him is covered with Ronaldo's jerseys from different periods.

"Brothers, tonight's Champions League qualifier second leg, Hoffenheim playing Liverpool away, I'll say it first: no chance!" Zhao Laosan took a sip of his cola, looking completely confident.

"Hoffenheim lost 1-2 at home in the first leg. Going to Anfield this time would be a free win, wouldn't it? What level are Liverpool (Liverpool accent) at? A Premier League powerhouse! What level are Hoffenheim at? Mid-table in the Bundesliga! This gap is bigger than the gap between Ronaldo and an average player!"

The comments section immediately started flooded with messages:

[The third brother has a perfect Liverpool accent!]

[Third brother, what do you think of Yan Yuan starting this match?]

What if Hoffenheim pulls off an upset?

If Yan Yuan performs well, is there a plan for him to be included?

Zhao Laosan glanced at the comments and chuckled:

"Yan Yuan? Is that the Chinese kid the marketing accounts are hyping up? He's just a flash in the pan. He's only played one game in the Bundesliga. What's all the hype? If he were really that good, would he have been kicked out of Paris Saint-Germain's youth academy?"

Hey third brother, you said Mbappe was a flop last time!

"I misjudged Mbappe," Zhao Laosan immediately glared. "Mbappe was already a starter at Monaco at 17 and had won the Ligue 1 title, while Yan Yuan was only 17 and had just played his first Bundesliga match. How can they be compared?"

The comments section erupted in laughter once again.

Zhao Laosan waved his hand.

"Seriously, for Hoffenheim to turn this game around, either the entire Liverpool team will get food poisoning, or they will voluntarily give up the match."

What's Klopp's team's style? High-pressing, high-speed running—can Hoffenheim's players outrun them? Even if Nagelsmann is phenomenal, he can't overcome the gap in player ability, especially considering they lost to Liverpool at home.

Yan Yuan has good awareness and decent ball control; maybe he can steal one!

"Good awareness? What good is good awareness alone!" Zhao Laosan scoffed. "Why is my Brother Luo so strong? It's not just because of his good awareness, but also because of his technique and physical attributes."

Yan Yuan's skills are enough to get by in the Bundesliga, but in the Champions League, especially at a grueling home ground like Anfield, he'd be lucky not to break down!

[Third brother, if Yan Yuan really succeeds in the professional league, can the Chinese national team naturalize him?]

Zhao Laosan stroked his chin and said,

"The plan is theoretically feasible, after all, his father is Chinese, and his bloodline naturalization meets the requirements."

But the question is, are they willing to do it?

Yan Yuan hasn't even made it to England's U18 team yet, which shows the FA doesn't value him much. But if he really shines in the Champions League or the Bundesliga, the FA might just turn around and send him an invitation to the Three Lions.

Our Football Association needs to take action quickly!

"Take action my ass!" Zhao Laosan rolled his eyes. "With the efficiency of our Football Association, by the time they react, Yan Yuan will probably have already retired!"

The live stream chat was filled with laughter.

"But then again," Zhao Laosan suddenly said seriously, "Yan Yuan's starting position in this match is indeed something to watch, after all, there are very few Chinese players who can start in the Champions League."

But don't get your hopes up too high. Anfield is a place where many star players get weak in the knees, let alone a 17-year-old.

Third brother, you're really underestimating me!

[That's too pessimistic, third brother.]

Miracles are never lacking on the football field.

"It's not that I'm looking down on them, it's just stating the facts!" Zhao Laosan spread his hands. "Think about it, what kind of lineup does Liverpool have? A front three, and a central defensive pairing of Robertson, Arnold, Lovren, and Matip. Can Yan Yuan's small frame handle that? Although Arnold is young, his attacking ability is top-notch. If Yan Yuan's defense can't keep up, he'll be torn apart in no time!"

Some people in the live chat disagreed:

Yan Yuan scored two goals and provided two assists in his Bundesliga debut!

"Can the Bundesliga compare to the Champions League?" Zhao Laosan scoffed. "The pace and intensity of the Champions League are completely different! Why is Ronaldo the King of the Champions League? Because he proved himself on the biggest stage! If Yan Yuan really scores at Anfield, I'll do a handstand and wash my hair live on air!"

[Screenshot taken!]

[Screenshot taken]

Zhao Laosan said nonchalantly, "Just take a screenshot. It's impossible. Hoffenheim would be lucky to even draw, let alone score a goal! Dream on!"

The discussion in the live stream became increasingly heated, with some supporting Yan Yuan and believing that he might be a pleasant surprise.

Some people agreed with Zhao Laosan, believing that Hoffenheim had no chance of winning.

Regardless, this Champions League qualifier, which originally received only moderate attention, saw its popularity in China skyrocket due to Yan Yuan's presence.

On Weibo, the hashtag #YanYuanChampionsLeagueStarting# has become a trending topic, with many fans using VPNs to find Hoffenheim match videos in an attempt to understand the abilities of this young Chinese-born player.

On a football forum, a thread about whether Yan Yuan deserves to be naturalized has been posted hundreds of times, with both sides arguing fiercely.

Meanwhile, in faraway Liverpool, Yan Yuan was completely unaware of the heated discussions back home; he was boarding a flight to Liverpool with his team.